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The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters:

The Hero’s Journey:

Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

The Hero’s Journey is also a study of repeating patterns in successful stories and screenplays. It is compelling that screenwriters have a higher probability of producing quality work when they mirror the recurring patterns found in successful screenplays.

The Hero’s Journey is also a study of conventions. Before screenwriters can decide whether to accept or reject the conventions, they must appreciate their purpose and value.

Consider this:

Titanic (1997) grossed over $600,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Star Wars (1977) grossed over $460,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Shrek 2 (2004) grossed over $436,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

ET (1982) grossed over $434,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Spiderman (2002) grossed over $432,000,000 - uses the Hero’s Journey as a template.

Out of Africa (1985), Terms of Endearment (1983), Dances with Wolves (1990), Gladiator (2000) - All Academy Award Winners Best Film are based on the Hero’s Journey.

Anti-hero stories (Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990) etc) are all based on the Hero’s Journey.

Heroine’s Journey stories (Million Dollar Baby (2004), Out of Africa (1980) etc) are all based on the Hero’s Journey.

Hero’s Journey and Rebirth through Death

A critical part of the Hero’s Journey, post the Seizure of the Sword, is the Near Death Experience after which the hero is reborn.

In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Zack Maya is beaten to near death by Sgt. Foley - this happens in the martial arts gym, which is representative of Zacks old world - and it happens after his argument with Paula.

In Al Pacino Scarface (1983), Elvira tempts Tony down this path with the words “I don’t sleep with the help.” This encourages Tony to claim the throne.

In Unforgiven (1992), the Sheriff beats Clint Eastwood to a pulp - in the bar that is, in effect “his territory.”

In A Fistful of Dynamite (1971), the main sequence is occupied by Dr. Villega. He is captured, tortured and forced to reveal the identities of his associates. John recalls his back-story and a similar situation in Ireland. Rod Steiger faces an execution at the hands of a firing squad.

Learn more

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at http://managing-creativity.com/

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Kal Bishop, MBA

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/

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Before we go into a goal setting tool, we should explain what goal setting is. Simply put, it is just personal planning for your life. It is a map of your life, with your preferred destination, and the route you want to take to get there, drawn out by you. Most commonly, goals are career-based or financial based.

Goals come in different stages. First, a long-term goal of what you want to accomplish with your life. Then you take those goals, reduce them to smaller goals, and create steps that you will follow to achieve each one.

So how do you achieve these goals? In the journey to achieve your goals, there are many things that can detour you along the way. The normal ups and downs of everyday living or unexpected hardships are just a couple of these things.

This is where the goal setting tool comes in. A goal setting tool is something that will make it easier to stay on the road in the quest to achieve your goals. Goal setting tools are normally considered one of two types.

You have mind tools, such as motivational reading, reading of books, and researching for information that will help you achieve your goals.

The next is technical tools. These are tools such as worksheets, forms, and certain techniques such as breathing exercises, as a few examples.

By putting to use a goal setting tool, when you have a problem with reaching your goal, they will help you solve any problems much faster and easier than if you did it alone. The fact is 90 percent of people who use goal setting tools achieve their goal. Since there are different goals, there are different tools to use also.

Articles are a great goal setting tool. The reason for this is that they normally focus on a certain subject, are short, and get right to the point.

Words are a basic but powerful goal setting tool. Words are not just communicating; they can influence you or even alter your behavior and thinking. Always try to choose your words carefully. Use positive words, not only in speaking but in thought also.

Another useful goal setting tool, used in any type of relationship, is listening. Being a good listener is more than just paying attention to someone. It means paying strict attention to what the other is saying and not interrupting.

Money is an excellent goal setting tool. By using money as a goal setting tool, you are focused on the necessity of maintaining balanced goals. This leads to a more calm and content life. Using money as a goal setting tool, should not be confused with making money as a primary goal. There is an old saying that “no one on their deathbed has ever said they wish they would have spent more time making money” By using money as a tool, instead of a goal, your whole outlook on life will change.

There are many software packages out today that are being used as goal setting tools. Using software, will help you set your goals in a more organized, flexible, and planned way. It allows you to state what you want to accomplish, list all the areas in your life that you feel is important, and your expectation of each. It allows you to set up an action plan and a to do list for achieving each of your goals. The advantages are everything is in a central location, no papers to lose, and no bad penmanship to de-code. This software allows you to become your own life coach.

Ultimately, goal setting is important and goal setting tools are essential. You need to find the right tool to help you get started on the right track. You can use the more traditional routes and tools, such as speaking to others and affirmations, or inspirational quotes, just to name a few. You now also have the option to go a bit more high tech and have a software program monitoring your progress for you to see and to adjust if necessary. The choice is yours. Happy goal setting

Jonathan Mayheart, with a solid knowledge of personality psychology and BioData, has published articles on goal setting, personal goal setting and business goal setting. Jonathan writes for ZupaTips.com on Goal Setting.

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If you are someone who likes to a accomplish things in life then you generally understand the need to set goals for yourself and to break down those goals into smaller bite-size pieces in order to get to your main goal. Recently someone asked what type of tools do I use to accomplish my goals.

Well, one thing I do is I read and study up on the industry or industry sub-sector that I am trying to accomplish the goal in. Another thing I do is to network with other people who have had similar goals and ask them how they accomplished them.

The most important tool that I think I use to accomplish my goals is to envision myself as already having accomplished the goal. And I constantly feed my mind with positive biofeedback that I will accomplish the goal. Another thing that I have found extremely useful in accomplishing goals is to write them down, I do not do this as much as I use to as I really don’t need to. But in my younger days I always wrote down my goals.

These days it is in my mind and permanently ingrained and burned in like a brand. I couldn’t get it out if I wanted to and therefore I do not need to write it down. My mind automatically breaks the larger goal into many smaller objectives along the way that are based on a time frame of reference.

For instance I just completed writing 10,000 articles and putting them online. Actually I’m not quite done yet, but I feel as if I already have completed the project as this is article number 9,945 and I will be there in a couple of days. Now to get done with a 10,000 articles I told myself each day what my goal was to accomplish for that day and how many articles I want to write each month and I made sure I stayed on target as best I could.

Now that I’m almost there I find myself sprinting towards the finish line to get there before my projected date. So that is another tool that I use, I get close so I can almost taste it and I want so bad that I speed up the pace. These are the tools I use to accomplish my goals and they work for me so, perhaps you might like to use some of them yourself. And I hope they work for you too.

Lance Winslow, a retired entrepreneur, adventurer, modern day philosopher and perpetual tourist.

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